Drunk in Japanese: you, yotta, yotteiru, or yopparau, explained in detail

How to say “drunk” in Japanese

In the Japanese language, there are many expressions related to ‘drunk’. In this blog post, I will explain as many of them as possible. And also, I will explain how to use them through example sentences. Let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meaning of “you”
• Example #1: how to express the strength of a drink
• Definition and meaning of “yotta”
• Example #2: how to say “to have gotten drunk” in Japanese
• Definition and meaning of “yotteiru”
• Example #3: how to say “to be drunk” in Japanese
• Definition and meaning of “yopparau”
• Example #4: how to say ‘heavily drunk’ in Japanese
• Definition and meaning of “yopparai”
• Definition and meaning of “futsukayoi”
• Summary

Definition and meaning of “you”

Let me start with the very basic expression related to ‘drunk’.

• you – 酔う (よう) : a verb meaning ‘to get drunk’ in Japanese. It is a plain form of this verb itself. Depending on the situation and context, it can also be used to express motion sickness or travel sickness. Plus, it can also be used as a sarcastic expression for narcissists. In a way, they are drunk with themselves or their own worlds.

Unfortunately, it looks completely the same as the English pronoun, “you”. Yet, their meanings are very different; the Japanese verb means ‘to get drunk’. All other Japanese expressions related to ‘drunk’ are based on this verb.

Normally, Japanese native speakers use this verb to mean ‘to get drunk’ in Japanese. However, when it is used in the sentence where the subject word is a drink, its meaning can be understood as ‘strong’. Let me explain this usage through the example sentence below.

Example #1: how to express the strength of a drink

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• nihonshu – 日本酒 (にほんしゅ) : a noun meaning ‘Japanese sake’ in Japanese.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, it is put after the noun, “nihonshu”, to make the subject word in the sentence.

This is the special usage of “you”, as the subject word in this example sentence is “Japanese sake”. So, the meaning of “you” can be understood as ‘strong’. Honestly, its original nuance is more like ‘to get me (or someone else) drunk’, but we can interpret it as ‘strong (enough to get me drunk)’.

Definition and meaning of “yotta”

Next, then, let me explain the past tense of “you”.

• yotta – 酔った (よった) : the ta form of the verb, “you”, meaning ‘to have gotten drunk’.

The auxiliary verb, “ta”, is added after “you” and the verb is conjugated for the better connection between them. In the Japanese language, ta forms are widely used as past tense forms of verbs. “Yotta” is one of them. Let me explain how to use it through the example sentence below.

Example #2: how to say “to have gotten drunk” in Japanese

Below are the new words and particle used in the example sentence.

• watashi – 私 (わたし) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese.
• wa – は : the same as explained in the last example. In this example, it is put after the pronoun, “watashi”, to make the subject word in the sentence.
• kyou – 今日 (きょう) : a noun meaning ‘today’ in Japanese. It can also be used as an adverb and inserted almost anywhere in a sentence to say “today”. In this example, it is used as an adverb. Learn more about “kyou“.
• sugoku – 凄く (すごく) : an adverb used before a verb or adjective to emphasize its meaning. In the example, it is used to emphasize the meaning of “yotta”. It has been translated as ‘heavily’.

This is a typical usage of “yotta”. Japanese native speakers normally use it to mean ‘to have gotten drunk’. They clearly differentiate it from the similar expression, “yotteiru”, which means ‘to be drunk’ in Japanese. In a way, they use “yotta” as more like an inchoative aspect or verb.

Definition and meaning of “yotteiru”

Then, let me explain the next one, “yotteiru”.

• yotteiru – 酔っている (よっている) : the iru form of the verb, “you”, meaning ‘to be drunk’ in Japanese.

Grammatically, this form can be broken down into the following three parts:

• yot – 酔っ (よっ) : one conjugation of the verb, “you”.
• te – て : a conjunctive particle put after a verb or adjective to make its te form. Verbs need to be changed to their te forms to be connected with the auxiliary verb, “iru”.
• iru – いる : an auxiliary verb used to express the continuity of the action described by the preceding verb or the continuity of the state reached by the preceding verb.

From these three components, we can understand that “yotteiru” is the Japanese expression for ‘to be drunk’ and also that “yotteiru” is very different from “yotta”. Then, let me explain how to use “yotteiru” through the example sentence below.

Example #3: how to say “to be drunk” in Japanese

Below is the new word used in the example sentence.

• mada – まだ : an adverb meaning ‘still’ in Japanese.

This is a typical usage of “yotteiru”. When we want to say “to be drunk” in Japanese, it would be the best choice in most cases. In casual conversations, Japanese people often omit “i” and say “yotteru” instead. It’s worth knowing, I think.

Definition and meaning of “yopparau”

Next, then, let me explain how to say “to get heavily drunk” in Japanese.

• yopparau – 酔っ払う (よっぱらう) : a verb meaning ‘to get heavily drunk’ in Japanese.

In Japanese, “harau”, or its voiced expression, “parau”, is often used to add the meaning of ‘completely’, ‘totally’, or ‘heavily’ to the preceding verb. In this case, “parau” is used after “you” and, for this reason, the formed verb, “yopparau”, can mean ‘to get heavily drunk’ in Japanese. In reality, however, Japanese native speakers use its past tense form more often than the present tense.

• yopparatta – 酔っ払った (よっぱらった) : the ta form of the verb, “yopparau”, meaning ‘to have gotten heavily drunk’ in Japanese.

Let me explain how to use the past tense through the example sentence below.

Example #4: how to say ‘heavily drunk’ in Japanese

This is a typical usage of “yopparatta”. It can be used in more or less the same way as “yotta” is, their meanings are different, though.

Definition and meaning of “yopparai”

Then, let me explain the noun form of “yopparau”.

• yopparai – 酔っ払い (よっぱらい) : a noun meaning ‘drunkard’ in Japanese. Depending on the situation and context, it can also be used as a plural noun meaning ‘drunkards’. Learn more about Japanese plural.

Some Japanese verbs can be changed to their noun forms by replacing the last vowel, “u”, with “i”. “Yopparau” is one of them, so can be changed to its noun form, “yopparai”. This noun is widely used to express those who are heavily drunk.

Definition and meaning of “futsukayoi”

Next, let me explain how to say “hangover” in Japanese.

• futsukayoi – 二日酔い (ふつかよい) : a noun meaning ‘hangover’ in Japanese. It can also be used like an adjective.

When we meet new expressions, we should check their components in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. Below are the components of “futsukayoi”.

• futsuka – 二日 (ふつか) : a Japanese expression for ‘the second day’ or ‘two days’.
• yoi – 酔い (よい) : the noun form of the verb, “you”. Again, but some Japanese verbs can be changed to their noun forms by replacing the last vowel, “u”, with “i”.

From these two components, we can understand that “futsukayoi” literally means ‘two days drunk’. Having a hangover is different from being drunk, but this noun is quite understandable, I think.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained some Japanese expressions related to ‘drunk’. And also, I’ve explained how to use them through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• you – 酔う (よう) : a verb meaning ‘to get drunk’ in Japanese. When it is used in the sentence where the subject word is a drink, its meaning can be understood as ‘strong’.
• yotta – 酔った (よった) : the ta form of the verb, “you”, meaning ‘to have gotten drunk’.
• yotteiru – 酔っている (よっている) : the iru form of the verb, “you”, meaning ‘to be drunk’ in Japanese.
• yopparau – 酔っ払う (よっぱらう) : a verb meaning ‘to get heavily drunk’.
• yopparatta – 酔っ払った (よっぱらった) : the ta form of “yopparau”. So, it is the past tense of “yopparau” and means ‘to have gotten heavily drunk’.
• yopparai – 酔っ払い (よっぱらい) : a noun meaning ‘drunkard’ in Japanese. Depending on the situation and context, it can also be used as a plural noun meaning ‘drunkards’.
• futsukayoi – 二日酔い (ふつかよい) : a noun meaning ‘hangover’ in Japanese. It can also be used like an adjective.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.